Knuckle Curve » oakland a’s

MLB Names Rookies of the Year

Stephen Kersey — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:55:12 +0000

The MLB honored its best rookies on Monday. In the National League, Chris Coghlan of the Florida Marlins won the NL Rookie of the Year. In the American League, Andrew Bailey of the Oakland A’s won the AL Rookie of the Year.

Coghlan didn’t look like a top prospect early in the year but got better and better as the year went along. All told, the left fielder hit .321 with nine homers, 47 RBIs, 84 runs and eight stolen bases. After the All-Star Game, Coghlan hit .372 and looked like an up-and-coming star.

Andrew Bailey is the rare relief pitcher to win Rookie of the Year. But after the 25-year-old stepped up and became one of the best closers in baseball, he definitely deserved the award. He finished 2009 with 26 saves to go along with a 1.84 ERA and a WHIP of 0.88.

In the American League, Elvis Andrus of the Texas Rangers finished second, while Rick Porcello of the Detroit Tigers finish third. The National League saw J.A. Happ of the Philadelphia Phillies finish second in the voting and Tommy Hanson of the Atlanta Braves finish third.

Chris Coghlan won the NL Rookie of the Year (Image: Zuma Press)

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Tim Wakefield Wins Number 11

Stephen Kersey — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:59:25 +0000

At 42, many thought Tim Wakefield’s days of being a capable starting pitcher were over at the beginning of the season. Think again. Not only is Wakefield pitching well, he’s pitching well enough to be named to the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

On Wednesday, Wakefield showed exactly why he’s an All-Star. In six innings of work, Wakefield struck out eight batters and gave up three earned runs to win for the 11th time this season. The knuckleballer has an ERA of 4.14 and a WHIP of 1.38.

Wakefield has a chance to set a career-high in wins. In 1998 and 2007, he had 17 wins. Last season, he had a record of 10-11.

His 11th win of the season came over the Oakland A’s. With their 5-4 victory, the Red Sox improved their record to 51-33. Oakland dropped to 35-48 with the loss.

The next time you see Wakefield on the mound will be win he’s pitching for the American League.

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Jason Giambi to the Oakland Athletics?

Stephen Kersey — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 05:47:29 +0000

Jason Giambi was once a feared hitter for the Oakland Athletics. If reports are true, he could very well end up heading back to Oakland via free agency.

The 37-year-old designated hitter spent the last seven seasons with the New York Yankees. Although he had some good moments, most Yankee fans consider his time in New York a disappointment. Part of the reason where the amazingly high expectation he had after signing with the Yankees as a free agent.

The last time Giambi was with the A’s, he was putting up fantastic stats. In 2001, Giambi finished his final year in Oakland with 38 homers, 120 RBIs, a batting average of .342 and an on-base percentage of .477. During his seven years in New York, he never matched that batting average or on-base percentage and only surpassed 120 RBIs once.

If Giambi heads back to Oakland, it will likely be for a one-year contract but he’ll get a chance to likely be the day in and day out designated hitter. He won’t reclaim his 2001 magic but he might have enough juice left to have a solid season.

Photo credit: Newscom

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Rafael Furcal – Where Will He Sign?

Stephen Kersey — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:45:05 +0000

While there has been a lot of action in the baseball offseason, no case is as interesting as that of Rafael Furcal. He’s been linked to a number of teams and has even been rumored to have agreed to terms with a number of teams. But as of yet, he’s still available on the free agent market. Where will Rafael Furcal sign? Here are the most likely destinations:

Atlanta Braves
This is the latest rumor. While Furcal’s agent has confirmed the reports that the Braves are in the lead in negotiations, he has stopped well short of saying that a deal is imminent. Furcal likes the idea of going back to the team in which his career started.

Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers, where Furcal played last season, desperately want him to return. When he was healthy, he gave the Dodgers a great piece at the top of their lineup and at shortstop. There are rumors going around that the Dodgers are willing to match any offer that Furcal receives.

Oakland Athletics
A few days ago, a lot of media outlets were reporting that Furcal was close to signing with the A’s. Reportedly, Furcal has been offered approximately $40 million over four years to play in Oakland. If they really want him, the A’s may be able to get back into the mix with an even larger offer.

Boston Red Sox
Although few rumors link Furcal to the Red Sox, it’s a move that could make sense for Boston — especially if they miss out on Mark Teixeira. Furcal could be the team’s everyday shortstop and give the team even more speed at the top of their lineup.

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Michael Inoa to Athletics? Future A’s Star?

Stephen Kersey — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:44:58 +0000

Michael Inoa is a 16-year-old pitcher from the Dominican Republic who has scouts salivating. Inoa, who stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 210 pounds, is reportedly drawing interest from a number of teams including the New York Yankees, the San Diego Padres and the Oakland Athletics. However, it is the Athletics who are said to have the inside track.

Inoa reportedly has a 93 MPH fastball to go with a developing curve and change-up. Scouts believe that he has the ability to add between 2 and 4 MPH to his fastball. That amount of upside is enough for Oakland’s GM Billy Beane to offer him a reported $4M signing bonus.

Other Latino prospects who will sign with big league clubs soon include Yorman Rodriguez, Adis Portillo, Alvaro Aristy, Gustavo Pierre and Santo Franco.

Will Billy Beane be able to reel in Michael Inoa?

Photo: Newscom

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A’s Sign Foulke

Geoff Young — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 01:04:36 +0000

Looks like Keith Foulke is coming out of retirement. The Oakland A’s have signed the veteran right-hander to a 1-year deal worth $700,000 plus incentives that could kick the total value up to $3.2 million.

Reports have Foulke’s fastball in the mid-’80s, but he’s never been a flamethrower, so that shouldn’t be an issue. More importantly, he’s drawing praise for his command and deception, two elements crucial to his success.

Foulke last pitched in the big leagues in 2006 for the Boston Red Sox, but the last time he was more than marginally effective came in 2004. From 1999 to 2004, Foulke posted an ERA+ of 195, second only to the Yankees’ Mariano Rivera (207) among relievers who worked 400 or more innings over that period.

At 35 years old, and having missed an entire season, Foulke is something of an unknown quantity. Still, he’s enjoyed success in the past and the A’s didn’t invest a lot in him. This seems like a smart, under-the-radar signing that could pay surprising dividends. If not, no harm done.

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